


Everyone Likes Me Better This Way

by the_protector_of_light



Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: After Chapter 1, Angst, Gen, No Romance, Nonbinary Kris (Deltarune), Possession, Spoilers, rather the red soul is controlling kris, the red soul is not Kris's, this is my theory anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 13:11:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16854577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_protector_of_light/pseuds/the_protector_of_light
Summary: Kris hasn't been feeling like themself for a long time now, not since the Dark World. Under the influence of a mysterious force, they are changing into something they never wanted to be... Someone better...If everyone likes them better this way, is it really such a bad thing?





	Everyone Likes Me Better This Way

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've written a lot of fanfic before, but this fandom is both new to me and new itself, so bear with me. This is just my theory, so if you don't agree, that's fine.

Everyone Likes Me Better This Way

 (Kris)

It was back again. No matter how many times Kris fought it, no matter how many nights they thought they won, it always came back. The voice, the thought, the controller; the soul that wasn’t theirs. It always came back, and it always controlled them. It _changed_ them into something they didn’t want to be, and there was no way to fight it, no way to stop it. No matter how many times they thought they had beaten it, it always came back. There was no winning this battle.

It hadn’t always been there. It used to come and go, and it used to have little affect on them. After that day in the Dark World, though, it was almost always there, morphing them, changing them into someone they weren’t. Someone… someone _better._ Kris didn’t want to be someone better. They didn’t want to change. They wanted to be in control of their life.

Kris rolled over in bed. The sun was out; it must not be a school day or else their mom would have come and dragged them out of bed to rush them to school, having slept late again. They took a moment to ponder that she hadn’t.

That was right. It was break now… Asriel would be home later that day. Why today of all days? Wouldn’t this soul give them a chance to be normal, at least with their own brother?

Kris pulled themself out of bed and looked around the room, eyes focusing on the cage where they threw the soul whenever they could manage. It seemed that it had escaped and entered their body once more. They didn’t know how it managed that, but it always did. Perhaps it wasn’t even worth the effort of forcing it away.

Kris had nothing on their agenda for the day, and they didn’t particularly want to do anything but sit around playing video games until Asriel arrived. Surely the soul would let them do something so harmless. Surely one day of normality wouldn’t be too much to ask.

After going downstairs long enough to have breakfast, talking to their mom a bit more than they would have liked, the soul allowed them to return to their room to enjoy the peace of playing a game rather than going out into the world to interact with people they didn’t particularly like or anything else. They thought they could relax, that it wasn’t too much to ask.

But after a couple of hours of relaxation, their mom came up the stairs to check on them. “Is something wrong, Kris?”

“No. I’m fine,” they said. And for once, they thought they really were.

“I’m just surprised you haven’t left the house today. Lately you’ve been spending so much time outside, and it’s beautiful out.”

Kris sighed and glanced out the window. The sun was shining brightly, but Kris wasn’t in the mood. They never were. They hadn’t been going out more by choice. It was the soul.

“Why don’t you go out and see your friend for a while before Asriel comes home? I’m sure she’d be glad to see you.”

“I’d like to just play my games today,” Kris replied quietly, looking down at their controller.

“Are you sure you’re all right? You’re so quiet today…”

“I’m fine.”

Their mom nodded and smiled. “I’ll leave you to your games, then. Please do come down soon for lunch, though.”

“Sure.”

Their mom walked out and closed the door behind them.

The soul was being nice today and letting them have a day where they could be themself. But… they had been so different lately, under the control of the soul, that their mom was expecting them to be like that. She seemed to like them better when the soul was in control. Everyone did. Their dad, neighbors, classmates; they all liked Kris better when the soul was in charge. The soul made them different. It made them better.

Kris didn’t want to be better… but, everyone liked them that way. Maybe it would be better… Maybe everyone would be better off… If they let the soul win. But Kris had never been one to care about anyone else. It must be the soul talking…

Or maybe it was changing them for real, too.

Susie, Ralsei, Lancer; they didn’t know Kris. They knew who the soul made them be. Kris had friends when the soul was in control, and they wouldn’t like them when they were normal.

Everyone liked them better this way. No one liked Kris how they used to be, not even their mom and dad, really. Only Asriel, and Asriel wasn’t around anymore.

Everyone liked them better this way… Maybe it would be better to give in and let it happen.

Kris decided to leave the soul alone for now. It was doing more good than harm.

 

(Kris)

It was mid-afternoon when Asriel arrived. Kris heard the door open downstairs and turned off their game. They had saved recently, so there was no point in worrying about going back or finding the next save point.

Kris headed downstairs to greet him. He was hugging their mom and asking about Kris. He looked up when he heard footsteps and let go of their mother to turn to Kris.

“Hey Kris!” Asriel said, opening up his arms.

Kris came over and hugged him tightly. He would understand if anyone would. He would let them be themself if only for a little while. Maybe the soul would let them, too.

Asriel let go and took a step back to look at Kris. Kris smiled. They truly were happy that their brother was home now. It was one of the few times that they truly were happy.

Asriel smiled back, but concern grew in his eyes. “Why don’t you come up and help me unpack?” he requested.

Kris shrugged. They probably would have anyway.

They followed him upstairs and they went into their shared room. Kris walked over to their bed and sat on the edge of it. “How are things at college?” Kris asked.

“Great! Really busy, though,” Asriel said. “Lots of homework, lots of new people to interact with; surprisingly, most people seem okay with me being a monster. There are many others on campus, too.”

“That’s good. Glad you’re finding a place there,” Kris replied.

“…What about you? How have you been?”

 _Terrible. It’s a nightmare._ “I’ve been doing pretty well.”

“Mom said you’ve made a friend. I was glad to hear that. You never really got along with anyone but me.”

“She’s nice. I like her.” At least that wasn’t a lie. If the soul had done anything that Kris liked, it was making her meet Susie as an equal.

“That’s great!” Asriel turned and smiled at them. “Mom said you’ve really been blossoming since I’ve been gone…”

 _Even him._ “I don’t know about that.”

“She said you’ve been talking more; doing better in classes; not getting into so much trouble.” Asriel studied their face though. “Are you all right? You look kind of… Different.”

He could tell. “I’m fine,” Kris replied with a shrug.

“No, you’re not,” Asriel said, sitting down on the bed across the room.

 _I’m scared, Asriel._ “I’m fine, Asriel.” They smiled; it wasn’t their own.

“I thought maybe you were doing better, like Mom said; are you just acting for her sake?”

“No, I’m not acting.” _He knows._ “I’ve had to adjust, but I’m okay.”

“If you say so.”

 _Get out of me._ “I promise.” _Get out of me. Get out of me._ It wouldn’t leave.

Kris’s real voice slipped out for a moment. “Besides; everyone likes me better this way, anyway.”

“What?!” Asriel’s voice sounded panicked. “Who’s been telling you such a thing?”

“No one. It’s true.” _It is true._ “People say I’m being kinder, friendlier… I know they mean better.” _It’s true._

Asriel shook his head. “You don’t have to change for anyone else; and I promise you, I promise you, that the people who matter like you just the way you are.”

 _No, they don’t._ “I’m not changing for anyone else.”

“Kris…”

“It’s better this way.” _No, it’s not._ Kris put their hand to their chest.

“Kris? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Kris assured, the soul trying to pull their hand away as it made them smile.

_Get out. Get out. Get out of me._

The soul refused. It whispered: _You’re the one who thought these things. You gave in. I’m not getting out now._

_You won’t even let me talk to my own brother…_

_Go ask her. Go ask Susie. She’ll agree._

“Kris?!” Asriel was suddenly in front of them, hand on their shoulder. “I don’t know what’s wrong, but it’ll be okay. I’ll go get Mom, okay?”

“I told you, Asriel. I’m fine.” Kris let their hand move away from their chest and they relaxed. “I’m going to go for a walk; I think I need some fresh air.”

“I’ll come with you,” Asriel said with a nod. “Let’s go talk to Mom first, okay?”

They went down the stair together, but Kris didn’t wait for Asriel to talk to their mom. They went out the door, unnoticed.

The soul was right. Susie would tell the truth.

(Asriel)

“Where is Kris going?” their mom asked.

“Huh?” Asriel looked behind him; they were not there. “They left without me?”

“They’ve been going out a lot lately. It’s been a nice change. When you first left, they hardly left the house at all.” Their mom didn’t seem concerned.

Asriel took a moment to consider what to do. If he followed Kris, he could keep an eye on them, but it would be longer before he could tell their mom that something was wrong. If he stayed and talked to their mom, then he wouldn’t be able to keep track of Kris.

“Was something wrong, Asriel?” their mom asked.

“Kris was acting really strange,” Asriel said.

“Strange? How so?” their mom worried.

“Their face was strange; so pale and tormented. And they said some worrying things.” Asriel shook his head. “We were talking about how they had been, and they started acting like that. I thought that maybe they really were doing better, but… I wonder if they’re just acting to make you happy.”

“I doubt that,” their mom said, looking relieved. “Nothing has seemed wrong to me. They’re just growing up is all.”

Asriel didn’t think so. “I… I don’t think that’s it…” Asriel shook his head. “When we were talking, they put their hand to their chest, like they were in pain, but they just kept talking like nothing was wrong…”

“What?”

“And they said… They said ‘everyone likes me better this way’.”

“Oh dear. Perhaps I should talk to them.” She paused. “Some people around town had commented on how strangely they’ve been acting, but I thought they just meant out of the ordinary for them. The monster at the hospital even said they had tried to play piano and hadn’t been able to.”

“I’ll go find them and bring them back. Then we can all talk.” Asriel headed toward the door. “Any idea where they might have gone?”

“Probably to see their friend; but they haven’t told me much about her, so I’m not sure where she lives.”

Asriel rubbed the back of his head. “Maybe I ought to drive around, then.”

Toriel nodded. “Do be careful.”

“I will.”

(Kris)

Luckily, Susie was in the park like she usually was, eating chalk that Kris was sure she had stolen from the school.

Susie looked up in surprise. “Hey, Kris. Wasn’t expecting to see you so soon. Wasn’t your brother coming into town?”

“Yeah. He’s back,” Kris replied. “But I needed to ask you something.”

“Ask away.”

“This is going to sound weird, and I know you didn’t really know me as anything but the weird kid until we went to the Dark World, but… Would you still like me if I was how I used to be?”

Susie blinked, but rather than seeming alarmed, she seemed contemplative. “Well… You didn’t really like me before… I wasn’t that great of a person. I mean, I’m still not, and I’m not saying I am… But you know, maybe that place changed us, and maybe it was for the better.”

“Right…” Kris nodded. It was right. Of course it was.

“You know, Kris, you’re right. You always were just the weirdo quiet kid, and you still are… maybe a little less so…” Susie looked away. “But you know, back in the Dark World, you showed your true colors. You were brave and kind and competent; you never really said much other than leading us, but I kind of… I kind of wish I could be like you were back then…” Susie grimaced. “Not that I’d ever want to be a loser like you.”

True colors. Kris wanted to laugh but didn’t want to upset Susie. True colors… What a joke.

“You changed too, you know.” Kris said.

“Maybe to you.” Susie shook her head. “But no one else would trust me if I started to act all nice. And I don’t really want to change. Having you as a friend is nice, and back then I had Lancer, but… I don’t want to be a goodie two shoes. I want people to like me for me. But, even you… you used to be scared of me too…”

“I don’t want to change, either,” Kris said. “I’ve been changing a lot lately, and I don’t really like it.”

“Oh.” Susie looked contemplative for a moment. “So you were wondering if I’d still be your friend if you went back to being a weirdo. I mean, you still are, but even more so.”

“…Yes.”

“Eh, I guess I’d keep you around. I’m used to you now.” Susie grinned.

Kris smiled slightly too. “Thanks, Susie.”

_You see, soul? You were wrong._

_She doesn’t know the real you. She says that now, but just wait._

_You won’t even let me try._

_Of course not. You’re not messing up what you have._ The soul paused. _I’ll tell you what. If you can change, if you can become kinder, braver, better, then I’ll let you have your body back._

_What?! I don’t want to change!_

_Then you aren’t messing this up._

_…Fine._

_I’ll give you one chance. Don’t blow it. I’ll be here, waiting._

“Hey Kris; I think your brother’s driving up.”

“Guess I’d better go…” Kris shook their head. “I’ll try to stop by during the week.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it. You don’t get to see your brother for long.”

Kris nodded. “Later.”

“Later, loser.”

Kris walked over to Asriel’s car just as Asriel spotted them.

“Why’d you rush out like that? I thought we were going to walk together.”

Kris shrugged. What could they say that he would believe?

Asriel looked into the park. “Is that Susie?” Kris nodded. “She’s your friend?” He sounded baffled. “I thought she bullied you!”

“Things change.” Kris walked around the car and got into the passenger seat, closing the door behind them.

Kris wanted to tell him about the Dark World, and they wanted to tell him the truth about what was wrong. But the soul refused.

 _Let me tell him,_ Kris begged.

_No. You’ll mess everything up._

_Please, let me tell him._

_No._

_Please!_

_No._

“So Kris; what’s going on?”

“Nothing.” Kris shook their head. “Nothing that I can tell you.”

“You can tell me anything, remember?”

“Not this.”

“Kris…”

“I want to, I really do…” _Please._

_No!_

“Then tell me.”

“I can’t…” Kris whispered. “It won’t…”

_No!_

“It won’t…” Kris felt things starting to go hazy. Were they going to faint? “It won’t let me…”

Everything went black.

 (Asriel)

“’It won’t let me’…?” Asriel repeated Kris’s words after he had placed them, unconscious, into their bed. They had passed out so suddenly upon saying such a strange thing. Asriel frowned. What was happening to Kris? Was there anything that he could do to stop it?

Their mom stood outside the door as Asriel emerged from the room, hands clasped together nervously as she waited. Her face became more alert when Asriel entered the hall. “What has happened?”

Asriel shook his head. “I don’t really know. They said there was something they wanted to tell me, but they couldn’t… that ‘it’ won’t let them… And then they blacked out.”

“’It’ won’t let them? What won’t?”

“I don’t know…” Asriel shook his head. “Somethings wrong, I just know it; but I don’t know what it is.”

“If we were to take the words literally, it would seem that something is controlling them,” their mom said, “but… that’s simply not possible, is it?”

“I wouldn’t think so, but…” Asriel shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

Their mom stood there for a moment longer, looking thoughtful. She shook her head after a moment. “I’ll go in and wait for them to wake up for now,” she said. “Perhaps, though, it would have been wiser to take them to the hospital rather than here.”

“I panicked,” Asriel said, rubbing the back of his head. “After all, if they said something like that… is it really anything a hospital could do about it?”

Toriel looked down. “I suppose…”

Asriel shook his head. “We’ll take shifts watching them. Don’t want them sneaking off again, you know?”

Toriel nodded and headed into the room.

Asriel headed downstairs. The household didn’t have many books, but perhaps one of them would have something useful.

(Kris)

Kris awoke to soft light shining through the window panes, but it slanted too far down for it to be morning. Their mom wouldn’t have let them sleep through the entire day; something was wrong. And the soul was there.

What had happened? They remembered Asriel getting home, talking to them… The soul in control… Going to see Susie, the soul taking back over.

Oh. They had fainted in Asriel’s car, after fighting the soul to tell Asriel about it. The soul obviously didn’t like that, and the soul had won. The soul… was it still in control?

Kris rolled over. They were still very dizzy.

“Kris?” Their mother prodded. “Are you awake?”

Kris rolled over the other way and looked at her. The soul pushed its way in front. “I’m awake.”

“Thank goodness, Kris! You had Asriel and I frightened.” Kris sat up. “Lie back down, Kris! You just now woke up.”

Kris complied. Kris couldn’t tell what was them and what was the soul at the moment. “I’m fine, though,” they said.

“What is wrong, Kris? Asriel said that you said something quite strange.”

“I just haven’t felt much like myself lately.” Kris managed to choke back laughter. Was that the soul that said that, or was that them? They couldn’t even tell anymore.

“Haven’t felt like yourself? Why did you not tell me?”

 _I wanted to, but I didn’t think you’d believe me._ “I didn’t think anything was wrong.” Ah yes, there it was. The soul was indeed in control.

“Now Kris, I know that’s not true! Asriel told me what you said.”

“What did I say?”

“That something wouldn’t let you tell him.”

“What makes you think that it would let me tell you?” Kris managed to sneak out.

Their mom covered her mouth. “Kris…” Kris looked away. “What is happening to you?”

“I don’t know.”

The door opened and Asriel walked in. When he saw they were awake, he rushed over. “Kris!”

“Hi Asriel.”

Their mom looked at him for a moment. “I’ll leave you two to talk. Perhaps it would be easier to talk to one person.” She headed out of the room.

“What did you mean by what you said?” Asriel asked.

“I—” Kris tried to fight past. “I was just—” They put their hand to their chest. “I can’t… I can’t tell you.”

Asriel looked away for a moment. “It won’t let you, huh?”

“…Yeah.” Kris shook their head. “I want to tell you—to tell someone, anyone. But I can’t…” _They wouldn’t believe you anyway._

“What is ‘it’?”

“I don’t know.” Kris sat up. “I can feel it, deep inside me… And sometimes, I can get it out… But not lately…” _Shut up!_ Kris grimaced as their chest tightened.

“Something… inside you?”

_Let me tell him._

_No._

_You’re going to let me tell him._

_No. You’ll ruin everything._

_I already have. They know something’s wrong. You can’t hide it anymore._

_…You’re right._

The soul slid back.

“I think I can talk now,” Kris breathed.

Asriel rushed over. “What happened?”

“After you left… Something changed. I don’t know what happened or how… But something… Something _invaded_ my thoughts… my body… my very soul…” Kris shook their head. “And it started slowly. Influencing my actions in little unnoticeable ways. I wanted it gone, to feel like myself again, and I could chase it away sometimes.” Asriel watched them closely, but Kris could look at him. “Then one day…” They shook their head. “You wouldn’t believe me, even if I told you.”

“I promise I’ll believe you, no matter how strange it sounds.”

“Right…”

Kris told Asriel about the Dark World. Asriel raised an eyebrow as they spoke, but Kris just looked away to ignore it. They told him how they had no control; how it made them do such strange things. It made them kinder, braver… better. It wouldn’t let them fight, no matter how scared they were. It wouldn’t let them do anything they wanted to do. They told him about Susie and Ralsei and Lancer… How they liked them the way they were then, but never would the way they really were. They told Asriel of when they made it back home, how the soul made them talk to people, be kind, be different… better.

And they told him they had fought it away that night, but it came back before morning, and ever since, it always was there, and it always made them do things they never would. It changed them… made them better…

But Kris didn’t want to be better.

Kris wanted to be Kris.

The soul let them talk for the longest time, sitting back, listening… whispering of how they had lied, how they wouldn’t change, how they had ruined everything…

“I’m scared, Asriel,” Kris finished. “Everyone would rather me be what it makes me…”

Asriel put a hand on their head. “You don’t need to be afraid anymore. I’m here. I’ll tell Mom what you told me…”

“Skip the Dark World part. I don’t think she’d believe that. She’d think it was an excuse.”

Asriel shook his head. “Since when have you cared what other people thought about you, anyway?”

Kris shrugged. “Never, I guess.” They shook their head. “I don’t think it’s going to go away, even with you knowing. You’ll go back to school, and it’ll go back in control.”

“I doubt that. Mom will know, remember?”

Kris sighed. “Asriel… I’m sorry that I haven’t really changed. That this is all something forcing me to be a better person.”

“You never had to change,” Asriel said. “All you have to do is be you.”

Kris doubted that was true, but they wondered how much was the soul talking and how much was them. They… they had always felt that way. That they weren’t good enough, they weren’t as good as Asriel… But they never had cared enough to change.

Maybe the soul had started something. Maybe they really did want to change.

…But the soul needed to go away. They needed to decide that for themself.

“You just relax here for now,” Asriel said. “I’ll try to figure out what can be done.”

Kris looked up. “Asriel?”

“What about you? You wouldn’t… you wouldn’t like me better if I was different, would you?”

“Of course not!” Asriel said. “I mean, I’ll like you no matter how you are, but you don’t have to change. You’ll always have me and mom. We’ve always loved you, and we always will.”

“Mom likes me better when it’s in control.”

“No, she wouldn’t if she knew what was going on,” Asriel said. “I’ll go talk to her.”

Kris nodded; but she didn’t believe him. He left the room.

 _You will change,_ the soul said.

_I guess I will, won’t I?_

_It’ll be for the better. You’ll see._

Susie was right. Kris didn’t like her before the Dark World. She didn’t like Kris before then, either. No one did, no one but Asriel.

And lately, he wasn’t the only one who mattered anymore.

So… Kris would change…

If it could just… if it could just be on their own…

**Author's Note:**

> There may be more added on later, or there may not be. I decided to post it all together instead of in chapters since it's so short. Let me know what you think! If enough people like it, I may continue.


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